Picky McPickerstein Black Bean Brownies

We are a family of foodies.   My  three year old happily eats any type of cuisine. I would even go as far to say he has a gourmand's palette, he recently rejected cheese whiz on a bagel in favour of some grilled salmon.  The nine month old is heading the same direction.  He refuses to eat all jarred baby food (as really he should - have you tasted that stuff?) and will only eat home made food. 

There is one exception to this house of gourmet children.

The nine year old.  He is the exact opposite, a Picky McPickerstein.  Herculean efforts have been made to try and get this child to deviate from his limited diet of plain pasta, cheese pizza, toast, and peas.  Okay, there are a few more items on the list but you get the idea.  To say it makes things challenging is an understatement. Not to mention the worry that he isn't getting enough nutrients. 

Various "hide the good stuff so they don't know they are eating it" recipes have been recommended, tried and ultimately failed to pass the picky eaters taste test. 

Until now....... 

He gobbles these up!  He actually just asked for the recipe so he could make them at school.  That's not going to happen - I need to keep the secret ingredient ...a secret.


Black Bean Brownies

1 19 fl oz  can of black beans (rinsed and drained)  
3 eggs
1/2 cup of cocoa
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 dark chocolate chips
1 tablespoon vanilla 
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Optional 

1/2 cup walnuts

I of course have to the leave the nuts out as Picky McPickerstein doesn't like nuts

Directions

1. Pre heat oven to 350 degrees and grease an 8 inch x 8 inch pan
2. Toss everything but the walnuts (if including them) into a food processor and puree - the key is the make sure all the black beans are ground up
3. Mix in the walnuts if applicable
4. Pour the batter in to the pan and bake for 30 mins or until a toothpick comes out clean

Note: I like to toss a few more chocolate chips on top for decorative purposes and to keep up the guise this is a treat when really Picky McPickerstein is eating protein

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Swiss Chard and Cheddar Soup

NOTE: This post was scheduled by Daniel Saraga of Haggis and Herring before he suddenly passed away.  We have decided to ensure his scheduled posts continue.  Daniel's wife Meredith posted her eulogy.  Please read more about our wonderful Daniel.

September cooled down right away, just the way I like it. I dislike hot-and-sticky August. Cool nights, warm soup, some hearty bread and a beer. That's my idea of a September dinner.

Earlier that week, I read Chaya's Swiss Chard Soup recipe and it inspired me. I knew I had to make my own version. You can read Chaya's post if you'd like to learn more about Swiss chard.

Well, I've made my first soup of the season, and according to Meredith, I've set the bar high. The cheese in the soup really complimented the beer. We nearly finished the entire pot ourselves - with barely enough left over for lunch the following day.

Swiss Chard and Cheddar Soup

2 tbsp olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
1 tsp minced garlic
2 carrots, chopped
4 cups chopped Swiss chard, cleaned and chopped
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
3-4 cups vegetable broth
1 can mixed chickpeas and kidney beans, drained
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp pepper
1 cup shredded old Cheddar cheese

1. Heat oil in a deep pot on medium and fry onions for 3-5 minutes.
2. Add garlic and carrots and continue fry for another 3-5 minutes.
3. Add Swiss chard and stir for 2-4 minutes, until wilted.
4. Add broth, beans, thyme, salt, oregano, and pepper, stir, cover and bring to a boil.
5. Reduce to medium and let simmer, covered for 30-40 minutes.
6. Remove 1 cup of vegetables into a separate container and and using an immersion blender, puree.
7. Add pureed vegetables back to pot, stir in cheese, and serve.

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Miffy's Baked Beans

This large casserole dish was maybe two-thirds of the batch.
This particular batch didn't use beer, however, it tastes
even better with the beer.

When my mother-in-law told me that she had made baked beans from scratch, Meredith and I were excited to try it. We were equally disappointed to find that they were already gone.

Fortunately, it didn't take much pleading for her to make a batch for us. The beans arrived - slow cooker and all - and there was much more than expected. But we didn't complain - more for us. We're big fans. Sausage and beans, potatoes and beans, beans on toast, beans and Kraft Dinner. Not that we usually eat these meals consecutively.

I've never made baked beans from scratch myself. My slow cooker just isn't big enough, and the bowl doesn't remove for easy cleaning. Still, I was very reluctant to part with it because it was a gift from my (now deceased) grandparents.

A couple months later, I stumbled upon a large slow cooker for $10 at a garage sale and I I finally got the recipe from my mother-in-law (the beans pictured in the photo are hers).

The recipe is mostly based on a Chatelaine recipe. I read the reviews and they were mixed. I suspect that several readers cooked the beans on high and quickly dissolved most of the liquid in the cooker. Unfortunate for them, but great for me. The beans we feasted upon tasted great.

Miffy's Baked Beans

1 onion, finely chopped
4 slices bacon, chopped
1/2 cup molasses
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp red-chili flakes
2 cups dry navy beans, rinsed
3 1/3 cups water or 2 cups water + 1 bottle of beer

1. Combine onion with bacon, molasses, ketchup, Dijon, salt and chili flakes in the slow cooker and stir gently until thoroughly mixed.
2. Stir in beans, water (and beer) until combined.
3. Cover and cook on low until beans are tender, about 10 hours.

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Cincinnati-style Buffalo Chicken Chili

Yes, another chili recipe. This one is mostly from scratch, tho. Inspired by a combination of different recipe concepts and what I happened to have available.

My original plan was to make buffalo chicken chili. However, we didn't have any bleu cheese. Not completely foiled, cheddar would still do. I also didn't have a proper wing sauce, so I used hot pepper sauce and compensated by frying the vegetables in butter instead of oil.

Then the issue of what to serve with it arose. We've had a lot of rice lately, so I suggested pasta. Of course, chili served on pasta and topped with cheese is really Cincinnati-style, so suddenly Cincinnati and Buffalo had to hash it out.

I thought the sauce turned out a little thin, however, I opted to not add any tomato paste. I also thought that the chili needed more spice. I added additional sauce when I served it. It could simply be because of the sauce I used. I'll leave it up to your own personal tastes.

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Cincinnati-style Buffalo Chicken Chili

by Daniel Saraga June-8-2012

Cincinnati chili is served on pasta and topped with lots of cheese. It's a great alternative to tortilla chips.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp oil
• 1/2 kilo ground chicken
• 1 tbsp garlic, minced
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp cumin
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 onion, diced
• 1/2 cup celery, diced
• 1/2 cup carrots, diced
• 1 cup beer
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 can mixed beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/4 cup hot sauce (or more, to taste)
• to taste salt and pepper
• 4 servings spaghetti, prepared according to package directions
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded (we were out of bleu cheese :-(

Instructions

1. brown the ground chicken, garlic, paprika, oregano and cumin in 2 tbsp oil over medium-high heat, using a potato masher to evenly break up the pieces.Set chicken aside.2. Heat on medium and add onions, celery and carrots. Let simmer until tender (10 minutes).3. Transfer the chicken back into the pan and add the tomatoes, beans, and hot sauce and bring to a boil.4. Reduce heat to medium-high and let simmer for 30 minutes to reduce the liquid.Serve on top of pasta, topped with cheese.

Details

Prep time: 15 mins Cook time: 1 hour Total time: 1 hour 15 mins Yield: 4 servings

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Red Mung Bean Burritos

Jacob is now insisting that he's a vegetarian. Not that he's eaten much meat before, it's just difficult to get him to eat protein in general.

I've been speaking to him about the importance of protein in your diet and he's agreed to go back to eating edamame occasionally. He still need to eat more.

Jacob does like to eat a few desserts made with red bean paste, and he's also eaten pumpkin seeds with curry powder, so I thought I'd try making mung bean burgers.

The recipe didn't work - even after adding chickpea flour and an egg for binding (and additional protein), they didn't stay together as well as I wanted them to. What did manage to look somewhat like a patty didn't meet Jacob's taste standards and he rejected it after one bite.

burgers not really holding it together

I decided to mash the rest and make burritos. A little tandoori spice and some tortillas later, we still had a nice dinner.

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Red Mung Bean Burritos

by Daniel Saraga April 20, 2011

These burritos get extra protein from added eggs and chickpea flour.

Ingredients

1 cup red mung beans1 tbsp canola oil1 medium onion, diced3 garlic cloves, minced1 tsp ginger, minced1 large (about 1-1/2 cups) carrot, finely grated2 tsp curry powder1/2 cup chickpea flour1 egg1 tsp salt2 tbsp canola oil1 cup yoghurt1 tbsp tandoori spice8 medium tortillas

Instructions

1. Soak mung beans in boiling hot water for 2 hours.2. Drain beans, and transfer to a pressure cooker. Re-cover with water and bring cooker to a boil.3. Reduce to low and let cook for 25 minutes.4. While the beans are cooking, heat 1 tbsp oil on medium in a separate pan and fry onions until translucent.5. Add the garlic and ginger and fry for an additional minute.6. Add the curry powder, stir and remove pan from heat.7. Cool the pressure cooker according to instructions and drain any excess liquid using a sieve.8. Let both the beans and onion/carrot mixture cool in the fridge for 20 minutes.9. Mix the beans, onions and carrots, ½ cup flour, egg and 1 tsp salt together in a single dish and let cool in the fridge (covered) for an additional 30 minutes.10. Fry with 2 tbsp oil in a non-stick pan and serve with tortilla.11. Combine yoghurt and tandoori spice and serve as dip.

Details

Prep time: 4 hour Cook time: 1 hour 30 mins Total time: 5 hour 30 mins Yield: 2 cups

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Dan's Chicken Chili Con Carne

At the end of Feburary, I found some ground chicken on sale, and I was excited to make some chili with it. I also had a larger-than-normal (28 oz) can of beans hanging around that I'd been meaning to use but haven't. In the end, I decided to do my own thing and not go with my current chili recipe that used a bunch of different beans. This one ended up looking like a more traditional chili (ground meat and red beans), but I don't think it tasted like one. I used a big tablespoon of garam masala, some dried chilies and a bunch of hot sauce to add to the flavour - it really turned out well, not overly spicy!

A note for my fellow food bloggers: I'm trying out a new post and recipe format with help from http://www.therecipewiz.com/. The Recipe Wiz uses Google's new recipe microformat which should eventually connect with Google's new recipe search engine. Please tell me what you think!

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Dan's Chicken Chili Con Carne

by Daniel Saraga April 15, 2011

This chili uses garam masala for a unique sweeter flavour.

Ingredients

3 dried red chilies2 tbsp olive oil500g ground chicken6 garlic cloves, minced1 green pepper, chopped1 large onion, chopped3 tbsp chili powder2 tbsp brown sugar3 tsp dried oregano3 tbsp ground cumin1 tbsp garam masala1 can tomato paste1-1/2 cups water1/4 cup hot pepper sauce1 28oz can diced tomatoes1 28oz can red kidney beans

Instructions

1. Soak the dried chilies in hot water for 30-40 minutes, drain, finely chop and set aside.2. Heat oil at medium in a large stockpot. Add ground chicken, and sauté until the meat is no longer red. Use a potato masher to break up any chunks of meat.3. Add dried chilies, garlic, green pepper, and onion. Sauté until the onions are translucent.4. Add chili powder, brown sugar, oregano, cumin, and garam masala. Sauté for 1 minute.5. Add tomato paste, water, hot pepper sauce, tomatoes and kidney beans. Bring to a quick boil and reduce to medium low. Let simmer, stirring frequently for 45-60 minutes.

Details

Prep time: 1 hour Cook time: 1 hour 15 mins Total time: 2 hour 15 mins Yield: 12 cups

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Sweet Potato and Black Eyed Peas

Substitute toast with rice crackers for gluten-free dipping.

• 1 large sweet potato
• 1 can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
• 1/8 tsp sea salt
• 1 tbsp brown sugar

1. Peel and chop sweet potato into 1 inch chunks and boil for about 15 minutes until fork tender. Drain and allow to cool for at least five minutes.
2. In a food processor, combine and mix all ingredients until smooth. Serve warm.

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Deer Beer Pumpkinhead Chili (Venison, Pumpkin and Lager Chili)

In early October, I was speaking to a colleague about the upcoming hunting season. Not wabbit season, or duck season...

but deer season.

Oh deer!

My colleague usually takes his deer to a butcher before bringing it home for packaging and he still had some left in his freezer from last year.

Well, I was glad to take some off his hands to free up some freezer space and shortly after, I was presented with a couple venison steaks and some burger (ground). I immediately went to work looking for what to do with the meat. I didn't want to do something plain, and I wanted something that would best reflect the fall season.

I found a few chili recipes that interested me. One of them had pumpkin, ale and some sweet potatoes. I decided to use that concept as a starting point for what I made. The result was a very large pot of tasty chili.

Deer Beer Pumpkinhead Chili

1+2 tbsp canola oil
1/2 kilo ground venison
2 onions, finely chopped
2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2 inch pieces
8 cloves garlic, finely minced
1-2 jalapeno peppers, chopped (optional)
1 bottle of Rickard's Red beer
1 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp cumin
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp sea salt
1-1/2 cups pumpkin puree
1 can (5-6 oz) tomato paste
3 cups chicken or beef stock (I used chicken)
1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes
1 can romano beans

1. Heat 1 tbsp oil over medium-high heat in a deep pot and brown venison, remove and set aside.
2. Add 2 tbsp oil, onion and potato to pan and saute for 8 minutes until onions are translucent.
3. Add garlic and stir for one minute.
4. Add beer to degalze pan and reduce for about ten minutes.
5. Add jalapeno peppers, paprika, cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, pumpkin, salt and tomato paste, stir and let simmer for 1 minute.
6. Add venison, stock, tomatoes and beans and bring to a boil.
7. Reduce to medium-low and let simmer for 90 minutes, stirring occasionally.

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Dominican Rice and Red Beans (Moro de habichuelas rojas)

photo by Robert Reed

Food on a cruise is usually amazing, but I’ve been less impressed with the offerings at resorts. Most disappointing is when you travel to a resort in the south and there’s very little local cuisine and instead a great deal of sometimes poorly-executed European and American offerings like pizza, burgers, nachos and unidentifiable leftovers mixed with mayo (those salads mom used to make).

A wise friend once asked me “Why would I want to eat the resort sushi? Would you go to Japan to eat Aruban food?”

While in the Dominican Republic, I asked some of the kitchen staff what dishes were authentic for the local population. It turns out that beans and rice is the most popular dish. Because of the poor economy, meat is an infrequent luxury. At the resort I stayed at, the beans and rice became my staple lunch as I avoided the raw pizza, sad-looking burgers an mystery salads.

Dominican Rice and Red Beans (Moro de habichuelas rojas)

• 2-1/2 cups of uncooked white rice
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 onions, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 green pepper, diced
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 can red kidney beans, drained and liquid reserved
• 1 tsp white vinegar
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 1 cups water
• 1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
• 1 tsp dried oregano

1. Rinse and drain rice in cold water and set aside.
2. In a deep pan, heat oil on medium and saute the onion, pepper and garlic until onion is translucent
3. Add tomato paste and stir for 1-2 minutes.
4. Add beans and mix for 1 minute.
5. Add vegetable stock and vinegar, stir and let simmer for 5 minutes.
6. Add the rice, cilantro, oregano water and reserved liquid from the beans and stir.
7. Cook uncovered until almost all of the liquid is absorbed.
8. Reduce to the lowest setting, cover and continue cooking for 15-20 minutes.
9. Remove from heat and let rest 5 minutes before serving.

 (Inspired by http://www.welcome-dominican-republic.com/Dominican-Republic-Recipes.html)
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Bean and Roasted Pepper Dip

I'm starting to hear this line often. I know that people like the standards, like my hummus or baba ghannouj, but I still like trying new things. Especially so I can post the recipe here.

When my cousin Andrew asked me to make some dips for a wedding potluck I decided it was time to do some research. I was still going to bring something familiar, but I wanted to bring something new as well.

The first recipe I jumped on was a bean and red pepper dip I found in the JC (Jewish Chronicle), a newspaper in the UK. I had to change the recipe somewhat since both standard quantites (i.e., can size) and measurements are different across the pond.

The second recipe (more on it next week) I made especially for Andrew's new wife as a tribute to Poland.

Beans and Roasted Pepper Dip

• 2 roasted peppers, peeled and seeded
• 1 can white kidney beans, drained
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
• 4 anchovy fillets
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• salt, to taste
• black pepper, to taste
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• a few drops of hot sauce

1. Puree all ingredients in a food processor until smooth.

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Red Kidney Bean Hummus

At our spectacular post-new-year's xmas potluck dinner hosted by Penny of Sweet Sadie's baking blog, I tried something that I haven't made in about 13 years – hummus made from something other than chickpeas. Meredith* did a great job and mentioned that it was somehow healthier than hummus with chickpeas (I don't recall why, possibly because there's more fibre) so I decided that I was going to make it again myself.

Why would I have made hummus with anything other than chickpeas? When I lived in Peterborough, I had a friend who was allergic to all legumes, but not beans. Being a smarty-pants, I made two batches of hummus using red and white kidney beans and served them together in a wide and shallow dish. I arefully poured and spread the hummus in the dish so it looked like the symbol for Yin and Yang. What a hippie.

Notes:

*Meredith being Elliot's friend Meredith, not my Meredith or Dan's** Meredith

**Dan, being Penny's Dan, not my Meredith's Dan, who is me

Red Kidney Bean Hummus

• 2 small cloves of garlic
• 1 can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 4 tbsp tehina
• 4 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• water
• 1 tsp cumin seeds, toasted
• 1-2 tsp olive oil

1. Mince the garlic in a food processor.
2. Add beans, tehina, lemon juice, cumin, black pepper, cayenne, salt and olive oil and pulse in food processor for 30 seconds.
3. Stir mixture and blend on high for at least one minute, adding water until desired consistency is reached.
4. Garnish with toasted cumin seeds and 1-2 tsp olive oil.

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Steph's Chili con Carne

Visiting some friends in Waterdown, our friend Steph made what's in my opinion one of the best chilis I've ever tasted. It wasn't your everyday beans, meat, tomato paste and heat. It used a good variety of beans and Steph even threw in some chickpeas for good measure. There was a sweet, well-rounded flavour after the chili was sitting in a slow cooker for an hour or so.

Fortunately, the recipe made its way to the Haggis and the Herring for me to share with everyone.

Steph's Chili Con Carne

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 15 oz can green chilies
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 medium jalapeño, seeded and minced
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 tbsp chili powder
• 1-1/2 tbsp brown sugar
• 3 tsp dried oregano
• 2-1/2 tbsp ground cumin
• 1/8 tsp ground allspice
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• 1 15 oz can tomato sauce
• 1 28oz can diced tomatoes
• 1 can black beans, drained
• 1 can pinto beans, drained
• 1 can chickpeas, drained

1. Heat oil at medium in a large stockpot. Add ground beef, and sauté until the meat is no longer red.
2. Add green chiles, garlic, red bell pepper, jalapeño, and onion. Sauté until the onions are translucent.
3. Add chili powder, brown sugar, oregano, cumin, allspice, and cloves. Sauté for 1 minute.
4. Add tomatoes and tomato sauce, stir and simmer on low for 15 minutes.
5. Add black beans, pinto beans, and cannellini. Cook for an additional 20-30 minutes.

(recipe from Stephanie Bluhm-Cormier)
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Jamaican Brown Stew with Chicken

During christmas we were given a nice dry red wine from a friend. In fact, it was homemade by our good friend Jayne.

After a nice new year's dinner we had a tiny bit leftover, so I started searching for what do do with it*. I ended up choosing a curry-stew that called for 1/4 cup of red. I think I actually used around 1/2 cup in the end. I also switched the method around from the original recipe, browning the chicken first and adding some boiled potatoes near the end.

*I've been told to never cook with a wine you wouldn't consider drinking, so I didn't think that the wine wasn't fit for a glass.

Jamaican Brown Stew with Chicken

• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup onion (chopped)
• 3 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1/2 cup dry red wine
• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can diced tomatoes (drained)
• 4 potatoes, boiled and diced

1. Combine chicken, curry powder, thyme, garam masala, red pepper flakes and black pepper (chicken through black pepper) in a bowl. 
2. Heat 1 tbsp oil in over medium-high heat in a wide pot.
3. Brown chicken for 3-5 minutes and set aside.
4. Add 1 tbsp oil, onions and garlic and saute for 3-5 minutes, scraping up flavours from the chicken and spices.
5. Add chicken mixture, wine, beans and tomatoes.
6. Cover, reduce heat and simmer (stirring occasionally) for 20 minutes.
7. Add potatoes and continue simmering until mixture thickens and chicken is tender.

(inspired by RecipeZaar's Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken)

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Vegetarian Chili

Photo by Keren Kurtz. Keren's variation uses kidney
beans and omitted the zucchini.

I've been meaning to make a chili for a while. Last week, I just decided to change the menu and go.

Meredith and I had eaten so much meat the previous week, that a vegeterian meal was going to be the way to go. Fortunately, I found a great recipe to use as a base, and I substituted from there based on whatever we happened to have in the fridge. Thanks, Emeril :-) I'll post a link to the original more complex and Dan un-friendly recipe (corn? ewwww) on Wednesday as well.

Vegetarian Chili

• 2 tbsp canola oil
• 3 onions, chopped
• 2 tbsp minced garlic
• 2 zucchini, diced
• 1 package (227g) fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespooon ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 can tomatoes
• 1 can black beans, drained
• 1 bottle tomato sauce
• 1 can tomato paste
• 1 cup basmati rice, cooked according to instructions

1. Heat the oil and fry onions and garlic for 3-5 minutes.
2. Add the zucchini and mushrooms and cook for 5-8 minutes.
3. Add the chilli poweder, cumin, salt, cayenne and cook for another minute.
4. Add the tomatoes (break apart with a wooden spatula).
5. Add the beans and tomato sauce and bring to a low boil.
6. Reduce heat and let simmer for 20 minutes.
7. Add tomato paste to thicken and simmer on low for 5-10 minutes.

Serve with basmati rice.

(inspired by Emeril's vegetarian chili)
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Quinoa and Black Beans

• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable stock
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1 carrot, sliced into rounds
• 1/2 cup sliced olives
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 can black beans (drained and rinsed)
• 1 tsp ginger
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro or basil
• Fresh ground pepper

1. Soak the quinoa in cold water for 30 minutes and rinse thoroughly.
2. Bring to a boil with vegetable stock and simmer for 20 minutes.
3. Remove from heat and allow to sit for 5 minutes covered, then fluff with a fork and set aside to cool.
4. Sautee carrots and celery for five minutes.
5. Add the beans, ginger, cumin and coriander and stir for five to ten minutes.
6. Combine with quinoa and add pepper to taste.

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Beans and Onions with Cous-cous

I remember my friends and I spending incredibly little money on food when I was in university. At the same time, we didn't starve. Most of what we made was from scratch and many of my friends were vegetarian so McDonalds and Kraft Dinner didn't cut it. Not that Kraft Dinner wasn't vegetarian, but we also ate pretty healthy compared to your average students.

Okay, so we ate a lot of beans, but we made the best of it and there was also lots of flavour. There was one particular dish I used to make quite frequently. It was a dish that a friend of mine made and I added to. His base recipe was onions fried with kidney beans with a couple of spices. I added chickpeas, another spice and then served it over cous cous.

Beans and Onions with Cous Cous

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 medium onions, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp salt (optional)
• 1 can red kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
• 1 can chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 cup cous-cous, prepared according to package directions

1. Heat oil at medium in a deep frypan.
2. Fry onions in oil until translucent (4-6 minutes).
3. Add paprika, cumin, salt and cayneee pepper and fry for another 2 minutes.
4. Add beans and tomatoes and bring to a quick boil.
5. Reduce heat to low and let simmer, covered, for 20-30 minutes.

Note: If the mixture gets too thick or begins to stick to the pan, add 1/4 cup water.
Serve mixture on top of cous-cous.

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Beans and Onions

I've been eating beans and onions all my life. It's still a staple dish almost every Friday evening. The primary ingredients are lima beans (not the green ones, the flat ones that are also called butter beans), and chopped onions.

The recipe was passed down from my grandfather. My grandmother would make chicken soup from scratch. After the soup is refrigerated (it was usually prepared in advance), my grandfather would take the schmaltz (chicken fat) that rose to the top and mashed it up with the beans and a chopped onion.

Nowadays, I use canola oil, but it's still the same basic recipe. I imagine the authentic version tastes far better, but heck, I don't know if my heart could take that every other week. I did try using olive oil once, however, the oil was too strong tasting.

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Beans and Onions

by Daniel Saraga April-29-2009

The recipe was passed down from my grandfather. I've modernized it to ease up on the fat, but it still tastes great.

Ingredients

• 1 can butter beans (large white lima beans), drained
• sweet onion, minced 1/2
• 3 tbsp canola oil
• to taste salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Mash beans thoroughly with a potato masher.2. Add remaining ingredients and fold together using a spatula.Serve with Tam-Tam crackers or broken up matzo.

Details

Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: Total time: 10 mins Yield: 2 cups

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